Piano



s. c. sHlLL June 5, 19.45y

PIANO Filed Aug. 17, 1'943 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. S/DNEY C H/Ll.

ATTORNEY ill.

S. C. SHILL June 5, 1945.

PIANO Filed Aug. 17, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 S/DNEY C. .SH/LL HTTORNEYPatented June 5, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PIANO.

Sidney C. Shill, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application August 17, 1943, Serial No. 498,939

12 Claims.

This invention relates'generally to musical in- Struments andparticularly to pianofortes.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a horizontal,downstrike piano action Whose elements arey so structurallycharacterized and functionally related that thel action will beextremely compact and particularly adapted, although not necessarily,for use in a portable piano capableyof being constructed suillcientlysmall to llt within an airplane trunk or beneath a car or' steamerberth, and comparatively light in Weight and inexpensive sol as topermit transportation `of the instrument with ease, and its widespreaduse in remote locations and restricted spaces.

A further object of the invention is to provide an extremely simple,compact piano action of the horizontal, downstrike hammer type ywhichembodiesv the standard inch key dip and 1% inch. hammer strike; whichuses standardv piano action parts; which has the touch of conventionalpiano actions so that the normal piano playing technique can bedeveloped at they piano; and Whose parts are conveniently accessibleandv adjustable, Wit-h each key and hammer unit removable from theactionk for adjustment, inspection, or repair without disturbing otherunits.

With these and other objectsL in View, the invention resides in thecombinations, arrangements and functional relationships of elements asset forth in the following specification and particularly pointed out inthe appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure l is a vertical transverse sectional view through the key frameof the piano action, and illustrating in its normal position, a typicalkey and hammer unit embodying this invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentaryvertical sectional view taken on the line 2-2of Figure l;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken on the line3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 4-4of Figure 1;

Figure 5,is a view similar to Figure 1 and illustrating the keydepressed to a position immediately in advance ofr that at which thelet-off or escapernent of the jack from the hammer takes place;4 andFigure 6 is a view similar to Figure 1 and illustrating the positions ofthe working partsA resulting from holding the key in its fully depressedposition.

Referring specifically to the drawings, the piano action embodying thisinvention comprises the usual key bedv or frame I having a center railII supporting the balance key pins I2, on each 01 which a key ,I3 ispivotally mounted approximately medially of its ends for movementcorresponding to. the normal key dip of %k inch, from the normal raisedorplaying position shown in Figure 1 to the fully depressedpositionshown in Figure 6. A front key pin I4 coacts with each key toconfine the latter to its vertical movement.

At its inner end the top portion of the key I3 is cut away to leave arelatively narrow end portion I5 on which is supported a hammer flangeI6 having a fiat base. I1 through which extends an opening I8 (Figure 1)receiving a screw I9 threaded into the portion I5 of the key I3.Pivotally mounted on the flange I 6 by means of a pin is the shank 2| ofa hammer 22. A wire spring 23 has one end coiled at 24 and anchored tothe hammer ilange I6. The other and rounded end of the spring 23 seatsin a longitudinal groove 25 in the hammer shank 2 I, and the springurges the hammer 22 upwardly to its fully raised position relative toits string 26 which, like all strings of the piano, is horizontallydisposed at a level immediately below the key framey IIJ. As shown inFigure l, the upward movement of the hammer 22 under the action of itsspring 23 is definitely limited bythe felt 21 of a hammer rail 28.Infits raised position, the heel portion 29 of the harnmer head 30 isopposite to and slightly clears the felty 3| ofA a xed back check 32whose wire 33 is rigidly anchored to the back check rail 34.

Afjack flange is provided with a longitudinal slot 36 through whichpasses a screw 31 into the jack flange rail 38 to mount the llange 35for adjustment on the rail Aby means of a feed screw 39 threadedlymounted in an overhanging portion 40' of the rail to abut the endof theflange, all as shown in Figure 1.

A jack 4I is pivotally mounted on the ilange 35 by means of a pin 42,and a spring 43 co-acts with the jack spring rail 44 to urge the jackagainst a jack stop 45 on the hammer shank 2I inthe fully raisedposition of the hammer 22 wherein the free end of the jack abuts aknuckle 46 on the hammer shank as also shown in Figure 1I. Although thejack stop 45 and knuckle 46 are shown as separate parts, they could beintegral so far asy their respective functions are concerned. A let-oirod 41 is fixed to the portion I5 of the key I3 to clearv the path ofmovement of the hammer shank 2|, with the free end of the let-off roddisposed to engage and move the jack clear of theA knuckle when the keyI3 has been depressed slightly less than the amount necessary for the.hammer y22 to complete its strike of 1% inches, thus disrupting theoperative connection between the key and hammer.

A damper 48 is secured to one end of a lever 49 formed by slitting intostrips, a sheet of iiexible material such as Celluloid which is securedin a slot 50 in the key frame I0 with a wire spring 5I for each leverbearing thereon as shown in Figures l and 4. A lift tape 52 isdetachably connected at; one end to the loop 53 of a lift wire 54anchored in the portion I of the key I3. The other end of the tape 52 ispassed through two openings 55 and 56 in the lever 49 (Figure 4) to lockthe tape to the lever in any selected position of longitudinaladjustment. The usual sustaining pedal bar 51 common to the dampers 48of all the strings 26, is arranged beneath the levers 49.

The operation of the invention is as follows:

Initial depressing movement of the key I3 by pressure of the finger uponthe outer end of the key will raise the inner end of the key and hencewill raise the pivoted end of the hammer 22 directly mounted on the keyby the flange I6. As the knuckle 46 is abutting the free end portion ofthe jack 4I, movement of the hammer 22 towards the string 2B will beeffected. Continued depressing movement of the key I3 causes the knuckle46 and jack 4I to rockably engage each other as they relatively moveunder the load to which they are subjected by the hammer spring 23. Itwill be noted that the stop operates to reduce to a negligible minimum,relative sliding motion between the knuckle and jack, by preventing thejack spring 43 from moving the jack beyond the position shown in Figurel wherein only a sufiicient part of the free end of the jack passesacross 1*.'

the knuckle 46 to provide the operative connection between the two, thusreducing wear on the jack felt to a minimum.

As depressing movement of the key approaches the position shown inFigure 5, the let-off rod 41 engages the jack 4I, which latter then ispushed off of the knuckle 46 with but a relatively slight wiping motionagainst the knuckle when the hammer reaches a point about 1/8 of an inchfrom the string, whereby to disrupt the operative connection between thekey and hammer so that the latter, by its acquired momentum, will befree to strike the string.

It will be noted that in Figure l the damper lifting tape 52 is normallyslack and is pulled taut by the key I3 during the aforestated movementof the key so as to lift the damper 48 from the string 26 just prior tostriking of the latter by the hammer, whereby to render the string freeto vibrate. Upon release of the key, the hammer spring 23 restores thehammer to its fully raised position in engagement with the hammer railfelt 21, and the key gravitates to its playing position, thus permittingthe jack spring 43 to restore the jack 4I to its normal position againstthe jack stop 45 and in operative relationship to the knuckle 46, all asshown in Figure l.

It will also be noted that although the iixed back check 32 will beclear of the hammer in the normal raised position of the latter, andwill not obstruct free movement of the hammer in one direction by thekey and in the other direction by the spring 23, the back check willco-act with the heel portion 29 of the hammer head in preventingrepeated striking of the string by the hammer should the key be helddepressed as shown in Figure 6. Under such conditions the heel portion29 of the hammer head will become jammed or wedged against the backcheck felt 3l during the return movement of the hammer by the spring 23,due to the fact that the hammer pivot 20 on the key moves closer to theback check during raising movement of the inner end of the key, all asclearly shown in this figure. However, upon the release of the key withthe attending movement of the hammer pivot away from the back check 32,the hammer will instantly disengage the back check felt so as tocontinue movement to its fully raised position under the action of thespring 23.

From the foregoing description, it will be manifest that the horizontal,downstrike action embodying this invention is composed of a minimumnumber of parts which positively act silently, smoothly and accuratelyin response to playing movement of the keys by the usual playingtechnique. Various novel features contribute to this result such as thedownstrike hammer 22 mounted directly on the key I3; the co-actingknuckle 46 and jack stop 45 insuring contact between the knuckle and thejack 4I and reducing wear on the r latter to a minimum by preventingexcessive wiping engagement of the knuckle by the jack; the let-off rod41 on the key, controlling the let-ofi' or escapement of the jack in amanner to positively prevent blocking of the hammer on the string; thestationary back check and its relationship to the hammer pivot on thekey positively preventing unintentional repeated striking of the string;the permissible adjustment of the jack iiange 35 to correctly relate thejack to the knuckle 46; the mounting of the hammer flange I6 on the keyI3 by the screw I9 to permit lateral angular adjustment of the hammerabout the screw as an axis in order to dispose the hammer head in properstriking relation to the string; and the mounting of the damper 48 andits actuation by the key with a pulling motion upon the tape 52 which isnormally slack to provide the lost motion connection between the damperand key, and is also adjustable relative to the damper to properlysynchronize the damper and key movements.

Furthermore, it will be noted that by detaching the tape 52 from theloop 53 of the damper wire 54, the entire key and hammer unit can beremoved from the remainder of the action without disturbing any otherkey, thus greatly facilitating inspection, adjustment and repair of suchunit.

It will also be understood that the use of the jack stop 45 is notabsolutely essential, but is very desirable due to its functioning inminimizing relative wiping motion between the knuckle 46 and jack 4I soas to reduce wear on the jack felt. In the absence of the jack stop 45,the let-01T rod 41 would provide an equivalent stop engageable by thejack to definitely limit the movement of the latter by the spring 43 tothe position of operative engagement of the jack with the knuckle 46.

I claim:

l. In a pianoforte, a horizontal action of the downstrike hammer typecomprising: a key rockably mounted for playing movement; a hammer; meanspivotally mounting the hammer directly on the inner portion of the keyfor movement downwardly to strike a string; a spring operativelyconnected to the hammer to urge same upwardly to an extreme position; ajack mounted for pivotal movement about a fixed axis above the hammer; aspring urging the jack into operative engagement with the hammer fordownward movement of the hammer by the jack in response to depression ofthe key as in playing; and a 1et-o rod .tixed to the inner end portionof the key and projecting upwardly therefrom for engagement with thejack to swing same out of operative enaavmsa gagement` with the hammerwhen the latter has reached' a` predetermi'nedl position inits downward`movement.

2; Iny a pianoforte, a; horizontal action of the downstrike' hammerktype comprising: av key rockably mounted. for playingmovement; a ham.-mer; means pivotallyl mounting the hammer directly on the'. inner endportion of the keyl for movement downwardly to strike a, horizontallyvdisposed string; a spring operatively connected to thehammerto urge sameupwardly to an eX- treme position; a jack mountedr for pivotalv movementabout a fixed axisabove the hammer; a spring urging. the` jack intooperative engagementzwith the hammer for downward movement of the hammerby the jack in response to depression of the key as in playing; alet-off member disposed to. engage the jack and swing sa'mc out ofoperative engagement with the hammer whenthe latter reaches apredetermined position in its'y downward movement;` a pivotally mounteddamper normally dampingy the string; and a detachable'roperativeconnection between the inner end portion of the key and the damper.including a;y normally slack, nexible member which is drawn taut byplaying movement of the key to pull. the damper clear of the string forvibration ofv the'latter when struck by the hammer.

3. In a pianoforte, a horizontal action of the downstrike hammer typecomprising: a key rockably` mounted for playing movement; a ham.- mer;means pivotally mounting the hammer directly on. the inner end. portionof the keyfor movement downwardly to. strike a. horizontally disposedstring; a spring` operatively connected to the hammer to urge sameupwardly to an extremer position; a jack mounted for pivotal movementabout a xed axisr above the hammer; a spring. urging the jack into,operative engagement with the hammer for downward movement of the hammerby the jack in responseV to depression of the key as in playing; alet-off member on the key engageable with the jack to swing same out ofoperative engagement withthe hammer when the latter reaches apredetermined position in its4 downward movement; and a back checksupported in such fixed position that should` the key be held depressed,the hammer will, during its upward movement, wedge. itself against theback check to prevent repeated striking.r of the string; the relation oithe back check to the hammer pivot being such that upon return movementof the key to playing position. the hammer pivot will move away from theback check suiciently for the hammer to free itself from the back checkand be restored by said spring to said extreme position.

4. In a pianoforte, a horizontal action of the downstrike hammer typecomprising: a. key rockably mounted for playing movement; a hammerhaving a shank; means co-acting with the hammer shank to pivotally mountthe hammer directly on the inner end portion of the key for movement.downwardly to strike a horizontally disposed string; a springoperatively connected to the hammer to urge same upwardly to an extremeposition; a jack mounted for pivotal movement about a fixed axis abovethe hammer; a knuckle on the hammer shank; a stop on the hammer shankco-actable with the knuckle; a spring urging'the jack against said stopin a position wherein the free end portion of the jack engages theknuckle to operatively relate the jack and hammer for downward movementof the latter by the jack in response to depression of the key as inplaying; and a let-off rod iixed to hammer shank to pivotally mount thehammer directly on the inner end portion of the key for movementdownwardly to strike a string; ay spring operatively related to thehammer to urge same upwardly to an extreme position;v a jack mounted forpivotal 'movement aboutv a iixedf axis above the hammer; a knuckle onthehammer shank; a stop on the hammer shank co- -actable with the knuckle;a spring urging they jack against said stop in a position wherein thefree endl portion of the jack engages the knuckle to operatively relatethe jack and hammer' for downward movement of the latter by thel jackin. response to depression of the key as in playing; a let-off rod xed.to the key in a positionJ to engage and swing the jack out of operativerelation to theknuckle when the hammer reaches apredetermined positionin its downward movement; a damper; a. spring-mounted lever carrying thedamper and urging the latter to normally damp the` string; a. damperwire projecting.- from the inner end portion of thev key; and aflexible, normally slack member connecting the damper wire andsaid leverfor operation in pulling: the damper clear ofthe string prior tostriking: of the latter by the hammer.

6. In a pianoforte, a horizontal action of the downstrike` hammer typecomprising: a key rockably mounted for playing movement; a hammer havinga shank; means co-acting with Vthe hammer'shank to pivotally mount samedirectlyy on the inner end portion of the key for movement downwardly tostrike a string; a spring operatively related'. to the hammer to urgesame upwardly to an extreme position; a jack mounted for pivotalmovement about a fixed axis above the hammer; a knuckle on the hammershank; a` stop on' thehammer shank co-actable with the knuckle; a springurging the jack against said stop in. ay position wherein the free endportion of. theV jack. engages the knuckle to operatively relate thejack and hammer for downward move- 'ment ofy the latter by the'jack inresponse to depression of the key as in playing; and a let-ofi membercarried by the key and responsive to depression of thek key asaforestated, to swing the jackout of operative relation to the knucklewhen the hammer has been moved downwardly'a predetermined., distance;said stop being located in such: proximity to the knuckle as tolimitmovement of the jack by its spring to a position wherein` relativewiping engagement of the jack and knuckle by operationv of the lastmeans will be reduced to a minimum so as to reduce wear on the jack, t

'7. In a pianoforte, a horizontal action of the downstrike` hammer typecomprising: a key rockablyl mounted for play-movement; a hammerv havinga shank; means co-acting with the hammer shank to pivotally mount thehammer directly on the inner end portion of the key for movementdownwardly to strike a string; a spring operatively related to thehammer to urge same upwardly to an extreme position; a knuckle on thehammer shank; a jack rail above the hammer; a jack; a ange on which saidjack is pivoted and having a slot; a fastening member passing throughsaid slot into said rail to secure the nange on said rail for verticaladjustment to vary the operative relationship of the jack to theknuckle; a spring urging the jack into operative engagement of its freeend portion with the knuckle for co-action therewith in moving thehammer downwardly to strike the string in response to depression of thekey as in playing; and a let-off member engageable with the jack toswing same out of operative engagement with the knuckle when the hammerreaches a predetermined position in its downward movement.

8. In al pianoforte, a horizontal action of the down-strike hammer typecomprising: a key rockably mounted for playing movement; a hammer; ahammer iiange on the inner end portion of the key on which the hammer ispivoted for movement downwardly to strike a horizontally disposedstring; means pivotally mounting said flange on the key for adjustmentof the hammer about a vertical axis to one side or the other of the key,for proper relationship of the hammer and string; means urging thehammer upwardly to an extreme position; means for moving the hammerdownwardly in response to depression of the key as in playing; and meansfor freeing the hammer from the last means when the hammer reaches apredetermined position in its downward movement.

9. In a pianoforte, a horizontal action of the downstrike hammer typecomprising: a key rockably mounted for playing movement; a hammerincluding a head having a shank extending above the inner end portion ofthe key and pivota-lly mounted thereon with the hammer head verticallydisposed beyond said inner end portion of the key for vertical movementdownwardly to strike a horizontally disposed string beneath the key; aspring operatively connected to the hammer to urge the latter upwardlyto an extreme position; a jack pivotally mounted about a iixed axisabove the hammer shank; stop means on the hammer shank; a spring urgingthe jack against said stop means to operatively connect the jack andhammer for downward movement of the latter by the jack as said inner endportion of the key is raised by playing upon the key; and a let-off rodxed to the inner end portion of the key and projecting upwardlytherefrom for engagement with the jack to disconnect same from thehammer when the latter has reached a predetermined position in itsdownward movement so as to prevent blocking of the hammer on the string.

l0. In a pianoforte, a horizontal action of the downstrike hammer typecomprising: a key rockably mounted for playing movement; a hammerincluding a head having a shank extending above the inner end portion ofthe key and pivotally mounted thereon with the hammer head verticallydisposed beyond said inner end portion of the key for vertical movementdownwardly to strike a horizontally disposed string beneath the key; aspring operatively connected to the harnmer to urge the latter upwardlyto an extreme position; a jack pivotally mounted about a xed axis abovethe hammer shank; a spring urging the jack in one direction intooperative engagement with the hammer shank for downward movement of thehammer by the jack as said inner end portion ofthe key is moved upwardlyby playing upon the key; and a let-off rod xed to the inner end portionof the key to engage the jack and disconnect same from the hammer whenreaching a predetermined position in its downward movement so as toprevent blocking of the hammer on the string.

11. In a pianoforte, a horizontal action of the downstrike hammer typecomprising: a key rockably mounted for playing movement; a hammerincluding a head having a shank extending above the inner end portion ofthe key and pivotally mounted thereon with the hammer head verticallydisposed beyond said inner end portion of the key for vertical movementdownwardly to strike a horizontally disposed string beneath the key; aspring operatively connected to the hammer to urge the latter upwardlyto an extreme position; a jack pivotally mounted about a xed axis abovethe hammer shank; a spring urging the jack in one direction intooperative engage- .l ment with the hammer shank for downward movement ofthe hammer by the jack as said inner end portion of the key is movedupwardly by playing upon the key; a let-off rod iixed to the inner endportion of the key to engage the jack and disconnect same from thehammer when reaching a predetermined position in its downward movementso as t0 prevent blocking of the hammer on the string; a damper normallyurged to damp the string; and a normally slack flexible memberconnecting the inner end portion of the key with the damper and beingdrawn taut to pull the damper clear of the string upon raising of saidinner end of the key.

12. In a pianoforte, a horizontal action of the downstrike hammer typecomprising: a key rockably mounted for playing movement; a. hammerincluding a head having a shank extending above the inner end portion ofthe key and pivotally Imounted thereon with the hammer head verticallydisposed beyond said inner end portion of the key for vertical movementdownwardly to strike a horizontally disposed string beneath the key; aspring operatively connected to the hammer to urge the latter upwardlyto an extreme position; a jack pivotally mounted about a xed axis abovethe hammer shank; a spring urging the jack in one direction intooperative engagement with the hammer shank for downward movement of thehammer by the jack as said inner end portion of the key is movedupwardly by playing upon the key; a let-off rod xed to the inner endportion of the key to engage the jack and disconnect same from thehammer when reaching a predetermined position in its downward movementso as to prevent blocking of the hammer on the string; and a back checksupported in a position for the hammer head to be held elevated by theback check against repeated striking of the string when the key ismaintained depressed.

SIDNEY C. SHILL.

